I'll make the first point that we're getting rid of the display fridge. It has served us well, but come with many problems.

In it's place we need to build a counter top, and get more beer fridges or get a tall thin clear glass all round display fridge.

Menu Ad

We would have big chalkboards on the back wall (I say as well as menus) with painted info for regulars and chalk space for specials.

Re-direction

The general feeling was to make the menu more of a mezze style which can be sufficient, easily workable and good to share with friends (Eda says the continentals are all into it, like.)

Also, keeping on filling specials but broadening our horizons.

Also, and I now a lot of you won't like this, we decided to take away falafel and burrito meals. This would save a lot of time in the kitchen, freeing us up to work more efficiently. By removing the need for salsa YEARS of time is already saved.

Also, proper standardisation and recepies of the foods we will make, to ehance regularity and also make it easier to teach/for people to learn how to make fine foods.

(Hmmm...we should really get a box of cooking wine.)

So, it's a pic 'n' mix of culinary delights.

The menu will be [x] main areas.

Breakfasty thingsWe would keep a selection of (I reckon 3) cereals in airtight containers. People like ceral at all times of the day - when was the last time you had your organic cornflakes outside the comfort of your own home!? Excited? I am.

We discussed putting them on the ounter in mornings for self service. Then we remembered that some men don't wash their hands after they pee.

SpecialsThese would be two per day. Standardised recepies and their variants of...
-Curry
-Chilli
-Soup
-Stews (maybe, can be a bit funny on undefrosting).
-Ratatouille
-Stroganoff

We also discussed to rotate these dishes in general. People often think it's the same Satay that's been laying in the pot for three days, when in fact we defrost them from batches that get lifted consecutively.

SaladsTaking the burrito and falafel off would also mean no more boring green salad. We would have a recipe book of 5/6 (I think this can go up infinitely as long as they are tired and tested) salads on rotation.

Also, this doesn't mean the salads would have to be vegan so, Chris, look forward to being able to enjoy a nice greek salad in the Forest sometime soon.

MezzePeople pick from
-Tortilla chips
-Pitta
-Oatcakes
-Veggie sticks
-Toasted brown bread
-(We'll keep an eye out for other breads etc. that may do well with this)

SandwichesWe could get bagels back and make up sandwiches for people from the ingredients listed above.

Super nice things!!!When possible Dolmade and Sushi (raise yo hands in the air once mo!)

They are really cheap to make but are slightly fiddly and need the right expert ease.

Cheese and BeansI don't know what happened. I blacked out. All of a sudden my mouth started moving and I began to defend the cheese and beans on toast. Agh!

Well, we always should have one really cheap filling thing. We're keeping it until anyone can think of anything else that costs less than 67p to make.

Cakes and sweetsAt the moment we're getting a lot of cakes from Roweena. They give smaller slices with less profit (unless you take into account the drink too) but are so, so, so tasty. People caome back for seconds now and again. But is it financially viable? We didn't really come to an answer for this one yet. We can still get them from Strombolli, and do now and again.

A friend of....someone....likes to make vegan sweets. She's going to drop in some samples sometime.

Fjacks and brownies, we didn't discuss but I assume keeing them. But in covered trays rather than a display fridge.

What next?

Bryony, Jamie and I need to get together to see how this can work and prices, with the help of anyone else's experienced brain. And if we can get it in place before the festival.

Oh, and the Slushi Machine has been fixed by dorkbot. We can have smoothies ready to go we make that morning, or sell cocktails. Or Boozey Smoothies.

We cold only serve cocktails if we stick to the regulatory measures. I think if we keep to a recipe for 3 or so cocktails then only serve in half pints, we will get equal measures in this and advertise it so people know how many units they are drinking.

Because we all like to keep an eye on our units!

I'll consider give a free cup of tea to anyone who can post how many units is in a large glass of wine without looking on wikipedia.

Then you can play this oh-so exciting game designed to fool young folk into learning something. Huzzah! http://www.units.nhs.uk/

Might be worth talking to Engine Shed to see if we can change from the wholemeal loaves to something more like baguette or foccacia...things that would be better on the mezze plates but still good for beans and cheese.

With falafel only being offered on the mezze plate, we should need less falafel each day. Maybe this means we could finally get more consistent, tastier balls??

I also like to make vegan sweeties, happy to make some for Forest (save me from eating them all). I've mainly made candied peels this year, but getting into making vegan cookies/banana cakes and stuff like that...

can we have a Burrito send off party?...best burritos I have ever eaten were made by the kind hands of Forest peeps...and now you're killing them off. We should send them off with their diginity intact.They make the Forest that little bit more special, I shall never be able to return without shedding a tear over the death of our mexican freinds.I must go now I'm choking up......

Excellent minutes Alex, very clear and well laid out. Spelling is irrelevant if there is no adverse effect on understanding.

Grand plan Chris. Here's a list of some jobs off the top of my head.

-chalk board-design a new paper menu so people can take it away to show their friends, we've had requests and it's a great form of advertising-build the new counter top-make space for chalk board in kitchen, might require some dismantling and re-arranging-replace the floor in the kitchen (there's a big hole in it, bad health and safety)

First they came for the mexican burger, and I said nothing, because I could eat the veggie burger.Then they came for the veggie burger, and I said nothing, because I could eat the burrito.When the burrito grew too familiar I ate the nachos, or the falafel.Now they have come for them too, and... I guess I'll eat the cheesy beans.

I've looked at the Costco website. Apparently they don't do things like display fridges now. I definitely once saw things like beer fridges and the display cabinets for drinks (unfortunately they had Coca Cola written down the side) in the one near my parents down south. Maybe they just stopped doing them. I could go down and physically look for one, but that would involve co-ordinating a trip with a friend, who is working lots at the moment. May take me a few weeks to get down there.

Whilst Costco may be an option, I don't think it would be as cheap as finding one second hand somewhere and cleaning it up. Does anyone know any good places to look for this sort of thing?

We will be having a funeral for the trusty burrito. I can't wait till archeologists dig up the remnants of a full burrito meal in the future.

It's getting closer to the festival, are we all commited to making this happen? I'm a bit scared, oooooooh! But it'll be awesome.

We need the groundwork done first as Bryony suggests. Good buildery people we've not really pestered before are Jamie and...new volunteer who I can't remember the name of. Kiwi, white with short dark hair. Jane - he came with us to the double flat party. Agh, my synapses are drunk.

Ken's going to arrange to come in really early one morning to fix the floor. Anyone chase him up if you see him. I will.

In terms of budget and buying things, I say we be careful but don't get stopped by lack of budgeting system. Let's just go!

Bryony - do you feel up to lining this projects bottom? I'm going to get some foods from Forest and test out recipies at home, if that's okay. Then we will have a clear, proper recipe book.

As much as I'd like to get rid of the display fridge, I can't see us getting a good replacement chosen, bought and fitted in the next week. The one that Bryony suggests is good, but even then, it might take some rejigging of the kitchen, as it is a bit longer than the display fridge, and would eat into the doorway.

Can we do the fridge after the Festival, without holding up the menu change?

Where did all our tubs go? We're going to need lots for all these tapas things.

I still feel like the new menu is missing something that is both hot and solid. The specials are all sloppy stuff out of a pot, and the rest of the menu is all dippy stuff. I want to be able to pick up something hot and munch on it, and I think a lot of customers do too. Toasted sandwiches would be okay.

i think we forgot about keeping the rice with hot stuff like curry or chili ratatouille /hot vegetables with or without tofu. maybe we should keep falafel meal or something in between falafel meal and falafel burger, for example 2 falafel balls 2salads pita humus and a bit cheaper...so many people are ordering it! in my opinion no burrito no salsa no nachos but cheese and beans yes: its british, good, filling and cheap! wraps should be served with some salad- it looks better and i think it would be fair for the price.and i´ve got another idea: how about scones with butter and jam? they are really easy to preapare, not expansive and sooo good- and i think like cheese and beans its kind of british /scottish food, and international people like to eat something they can´t get in their own countries... of course scones must be made at home because of the oven, maybe I can do it some day just to try if people buy?

Scones would be a nice idea, should maybe push the Baked Potatos too as they are cheap and filling.Falafals should stay, especially if selling well...no?

In fact i don't really care as long as you serve tasty food then coolio hoolio as I've still got a free meal voucher from yonks ago.

Cool salads would be good for the summer though,

and wouldn't it be really cool to have a signature dish? something we serve all the time, is difficult to get anywhere else and is amazing. I'm not sure what would go into the Forest Speciality but i'm sure it would be goooooood, people will travle the world for it, junkies would come off smack just to afford it...and then become addicted to it instead. It is quite a challenge as not only would it have to be seasonal it would also have to be able to be made throughout the year, and it would simply have to be frickin amazing or else it would bring the name of the Forest down. thats a good challenge.Anyone up for accepting that challenge....Alex, Shannon?, or should i shutupa my face?

The roti is hot. You can grab it and munch on it. Make a potato curry, slap it on a wrap and roll it up like a burrito. You've even got the marketing sorted. It can be called 'The Jimmy Cliff'. Instead of Nachos, dude, it is Roti, rasshole. They'll be selling quicker than shit through a goose.

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This is not happening as was decided at the meeting. Not enough got done, it went on too long, it all went to shit and I'm fed up with it.

HOWEVER!!!

With new KMs there is new energy and new ideas. There's big ideas for re-structuring the kitchen, simplifying the menu to make it easier for volunteers to make well, yet tasty, a good range and cost effective.